Folding table

ABSTRACT

A table with three legs and a table surface which folds down. The table also stands on its three legs when the table surface is folded down, and the legs run together toward the table surface in a lower region (I). The legs diverge at a slant from each other toward the table surface in an upper region (II). Two of the three legs are joined to the table surface by tilting linkages and the third leg is composed of a lower and an upper part. The upper part comprises the upper region of the third leg, is detachably joined to the table surface, and can turn relative to the lower part.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims foreign priority based on German Patent Application No. 10 2006 050 260.4-16, filed on Oct. 23, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a table with three legs and a table surface which folds down. The table also stands on its three legs when the table surface is folded down, and the legs run together toward the table surface in a lower region. In particular, the present invention relates to a standing table.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A standing table of this kind is known, but the three legs do not reach as far as the table surface, instead running together at the foot of a middle column. The table surface is carried by the middle column and is joined to the head of the middle column by a linkage at its center. The table surface is round and has a radius corresponding to the height of the middle column, so that the three legs do not hinder the folding down of the table surface.

With the table surface folded down, the table can be placed together with other similar tables in a space-saving manner.

Critical to the known table, as in general to all tables with a middle column, is its stability, wherefore the middle column is also relatively thick and bulky and the linkage joining it to the table surface is provided with a large pressure distributing plate.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The problem of the invention is to specify a table of the kind mentioned above that makes do with more simple, less bulky structural parts with at least the same stability and is thus suitable for making a better aesthetic impression. Furthermore, the folding function should be easy to operate and intuitively comprehensible. With the table surface folded down, it should be possible to place the table together with other similar tables in space-saving manner.

This problem is solved by a table according to the present invention. Accordingly, the table of the invention comprises legs that diverge at a slant from each other toward the table surface in an upper region, two of the three legs are joined to the table surface by tilting linkages and the third leg is composed of an upper and a lower part. The upper part comprises the upper region of the third leg, is detachably joined to the table surface, and can turn relative to the lower part.

A preferred embodiment is the embodiment of the table as a standing table. Also preferably the upper part of the third leg is fixed against turning by sliding friction under its own weight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention shall now be explained in greater detail by a sample embodiment in connection with the drawing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a table configured as a standing table with three legs, according to the present invention, looking at the table surface;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the table of FIG. 1 looking underneath the table surface;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the table with the table surface folded down;

FIG. 4 is a side view of two tables of the same kind as shown in FIG. 3, each with the table surface folded down and placed in a row; and

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the connection region of the three legs in cross section (plane of the section in the third leg).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The standing table shown in the figures has three legs 10, 20 and 30 and a round table surface 40. The three legs of similar shape are arranged at a relative angle of 120° each and run together from the floor upward toward the table surface 40 in a lower region I at an angle, first in the shape of a star, and then apart from each other in an upper region II in the shape of a star, so that they end up individually and with mutual spacing at the table surface 40. They are only curved in a transitional region III from the lower region I to the upper region II, otherwise being straight. Just underneath the curved transitional region III they are joined together by a connection joint 50 in the lower region I.

The two table legs 10 and 20 are joined to the table surface 40 by tilting links, whose parts are denoted by 13 and 23 on the legs and by 41 and 42 on the table surface. The axes of the tilting links are aligned with each other.

The third table leg 30 is composed of a lower part 31 and an upper part 32 in the lower region I, so that the upper part 32 comprises the upper region II, the transitional region, and also a small portion of the lower region I. The upper part 32 is detachably joined to the table surface 40 and can turn relative to the lower part 31.

Due to its turning ability, the upper part 32 can be turned away under the table surface 40 so that the latter can then be folded down via the tilting links against the other two legs 10 and 20, as is represented in FIG. 3. In this position, the upper part 32 of the third leg 30 rests against the upper region of the second table leg 20 and the table surface 40 lies against the third leg 30. The table still stands on all three legs.

For the detachable connection of the upper part 32 to the table surface 40, a head piece 33 is provided at the end of the upper part 32, with a flat, dishlike support plate, and as its counterpart there is a roughly horseshoe-shaped seat 43 in the table surface 40, provided with an undercut for the projecting edge of the support plate. Together, with the turning of the upper part 32 for the folding or unfolding of the table surface 40, the holding plate of the head piece 33 moves into and out of the undercut portion of the seat 43, so that no additional manual steps are required to make or release the connection 32. Preferably, the support plate of the head piece 33 is also easily locked in the seat 43.

Also preferably the angles at which the three legs 10, 20 and 30 run at a vertical slant in their lower region I and upper region II are chosen such that the table surface 40 when folded down, as also shown in FIG. 3, is oriented parallel to the lower part 31 of the third leg. This is the case, e.g., when the angle relative to the vertical is 21° in the lower region I and 36° in the upper region II. The length of the straight segment in the lower region I can be 814.4 mm, for example, and 247.9 mm in the upper region II, with a radius of 50 mm in the transitional region III.

When the table surface 40 is folded down, several tables of the same kind can be placed together in a space-saving fashion, as shown in FIG. 4 by the example of two tables.

Now turning to FIG. 5, the pivoting connection of the lower part 31 and upper part 32 of the third leg 30 shall be described.

Both parts 31 and 32 are tubular and have a round cross section, which preferably also applies to the other two legs 10 and 20. All three legs can be made from metal tubing. In the upper part 32, a welding round blank 35 is inserted and unable to turn, e.g., by welding, and a bolt 36 is anchored in this, also unable to turn, and projecting downward into the lower part 31. There, an insert piece 37 is present, accommodating the bolt 36, and having a frictional element 38 in a seat, resting against the bolt 36 under elastic deformation. When the upper part 32 is rotated, the bolt 36 turns in the insert piece 37 and rubs against the frictional element 38, so that the movement of the upper part 32 is dampened by sliding friction relative to the lower part 31. Preferably, the dampening is such that the upper part 32 is fixed against rotation under its own weight in every position of rotation, but even so it can easily be moved. In this way, the upper part 32 is prevented from turning in an uncontrolled manner. A sufficiently large friction can be achieved by the use of a material such as polyurethane for the frictional element 38. In addition, as also shown in FIG. 5, the bolt 36 can be provided with circumferential grooves, into which the elastic material of the frictional element 38 expands, further increasing the friction.

The three legs 10, 20 and 30 are screwed together with the connection joint 50. Two screws 51 used for the third leg can be recognized in FIG. 5, and these screws at the same time secure the insert piece 37 in the lower part 31 of the third leg 30. The clamping piece 37 is flattened relative to the screws 51, so that it lies flush against the inner wall of the lower part 31.

The lower ends of the three legs are provided with slide pieces 14, 24 and 34.

What has been described above are preferred aspects of the present invention. It is of course not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the present invention, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present invention are possible. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alterations, combinations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

1. A table comprising three legs, a table surface which folds down, a lower region and an upper region, said table also standing on said three legs when the table surface is folded down, and wherein said legs run together toward the table surface in said lower region, wherein said legs diverge at a slant from each other toward the table surface in said upper region, further comprising tilting linkages for joining two of said three legs to the table surface, and wherein the third leg comprises a lower part and an upper part, and wherein said upper part comprises the upper region of the third leg, is detachably joined to the table surface, and can turn relative to the lower part.
 2. The table according to claim 1, wherein said table is configured as a standing table, and wherein said three legs are longer than the largest diameter of the table surface.
 3. The table according to claim 1, wherein said upper part is fixed from turning by sliding friction under its own weight.
 4. The table according to one of claim 1, further comprising a connection joint on each leg for screwing said legs together in each respective lower region.
 5. The table according to claim 1, further comprising a transitional region from the lower region to the upper region, and wherein said legs are only curved in said transitional region from the lower to the upper region, wherein said legs are otherwise straight.
 6. The table according to claim 5, wherein the lower part of the third leg is oriented parallel to the table surface when said table surface is in a downfolded position and wherein said table surface rests on said third leg.
 7. The table according to claim 1, wherein said legs are tubular and comprise a round cross section.
 8. The table according to claim 1, further comprising a bolt anchored in the upper part of the third leg, not able to turn, and wherein said bolt projects downward into the lower part.
 9. The table according to claim 8, further comprising an insert piece for accommodating the bolt in the lower part of the third leg, and a frictional element in a recess, lying against the bolt under elastic deformation.
 10. The table according to claim 1, further comprising a head piece at the upper end of said upper part of the third leg, wherein said head piece is swivelable into a seat in the bottom of the unfolded table surface by the turning of the upper part of the third leg, and can be fixed elastically therein. 